Tool magazine

Abstract

Tool magazine for the provision of tools for a machine tool, wherein the tool magazine has a multiplicity of receiving positions for tools. A first tool can be removed from or inserted into a first receiving position along a removal direction, and at least one further receiving position for receiving a further tool is provided.

1 . A tool magazine for the provision of tools for a machine tool, wherein the tool magazine has a multiplicity of receiving positions for tools and a first tool can be removed from or inserted into a first receiving position along a removal direction, wherein, before or after the first receiving position in the removal direction, the tool magazine has at least one further receiving position which is intended for receiving a further tool, characterized in that at least one transfer device is provided which undertakes at least part of the transportation of the tools in the tool magazine and/or to an interface, and the transfer device is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and the transfer device has a carrier which is rotatable about the axis of rotation and at each end of which at least one gripper for receiving tools is provided. 
     
     
         2 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the transfer device is movably mounted along at least one longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the transfer device has three or more grippers, wherein a first gripper is provided to carry a tool to be loaded, a second gripper is provided to carry the tool to be removed, and at least one further gripper is provided as a temporary buffer store for a tool which is initially resting on a receiving position which is obstructing the loading and removal of a tool. 
     
     
         4 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the receiving positions are movable and move relative to the transfer device when transferring tools. 
     
     
         5 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the receiving positions are substantially fixed and the transfer device moves relative to the receiving positions when transferring tools. 
     
     
         6 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that two grippers are provided at one end of the carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a multiplicity of receiving positions are arranged behind one another or above one another in a plurality of levels. 
     
     
         8 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the tool magazine is designed as a rack magazine, disk magazine, ring magazine or similar, and the receiving positions are formed by a plate-shaped element of the tool magazine, in which receiving slots are made, and the tools are arranged in these receiving slots behind one another in the removal direction. 
     
     
         9 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one indexing region, which determines the radial/rotational alignment of a tool in the receiving position, is provided at the receiving slot. 
     
     
         10 . The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a chain magazine is provided for the tool magazine and the receiving position is arranged on at least one chain link. 
     
     
         11 . A machine tool having at least one tool magazine according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The machine tool according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the tool magazine is located outside the machine tool and a further tool magazine is provided in or at the machine tool. 
     
     
         13 . A method for removing tools from a tool magazine of a machine tool comprising the steps:
 A) Removal of a requested tool by means of a transfer device, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and has a carrier which is rotatable about the axis of rotation and at each end of which at least one gripper for receiving tools is provided, from the receiving position if the requested tool is directly accessible,   B) Removal, by means of the transfer device, of another tool, which is stored in a receiving position which is located in front of the requested tool in the removal direction, buffering of this other tool and subsequent removal of the requested tool by means of the transfer device from its receiving position if the requested tool is not directly accessible.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the removed tool is fed directly to a spindle of a machine tool. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , characterized in that, before being fed to a spindle of a machine tool, the removed tool is buffered in a second tool magazine or that the buffering of the tools is undertaken by the transfer device.